Andy Pettitte

[chrismarullo]

Pettitte recently said he would consider retirement after this season if he struggles with injuries again. If his career ended right now, would you vote him in?

[RuthMayBond]

Let's see
5 Black Ink
95 Gray Ink
32 HOF Standards
172 wins
2098 IP
2x in WHIP top10

Talk about opening the floodgates

[Edgartohof]

Well, first I look at what he did against his competition. He is a far cry from the Big Four of out time (Clemens/Maddux/Johnson/Martinez), but I could see him somewere in the next set, with Brown/Schilling/etc...

He has always been injury prone, and never was really dominating, only posting a 150+ ERA+ twice, and only once has had a legitimate great year (last year with his 2.39 ERA - 174 ERA+ - 1.030 WHIP). Sure he has good wins/seasons, but that has as much to do that he has spent most of his career (all but the last 2) with the ever dominating Yankee's, and he hasn't even lasted long enough to reach 175, let alone 200. Also, because he played for the Yankee's, he had his fair share of World Series appearances, and while he did have some good moments (0.00 ERA in '98 World Series - 7 2/3 innnings), he had some not so good (5.91 in '96 and 12.27 in '99).

[chrismarullo]

He does own the modern record for post season wins at least. Or at least he did, I think Smoltz might have passed him up. Other than that, I'm going have to say no until he has another few good seasons.

[Bothrops Atrox]

Besides Pettitte's winning % and postseason success ( in which the Yankees offensive powerhouse teams have contributed greatlt) he has done nothing in only 2000 IP to warrant HOF induction. Keep in mind, Pettitte has yet to start his decline phase and his ERA+ is only 120. Pettitte will not reach the Hall of Fame unless he can fight through the injuries and win a lot more games.

[the pyromaniac]

He does own the modern record for post season wins at least. Or at least he did, I think Smoltz might have passed him up. Other than that, I'm going have to say no until he has another few good seasons.

Last I saw, Smoltz had passed him, I think. He's not an HOF'er in my book without pitching 5-10 more years and getting to 250 wins.

[KCGHOST]

Pettitte is a good pitcher but much of his success can be attributed to the teams he played on. No HoF.

[digglahhh]

He does own the modern record for post season wins at least. Or at least he did, I think Smoltz might have passed him up. Other than that, I'm going have to say no until he has another few good seasons.

I think he need more than a few good seasons.

Mark Buerhle seems to be somewhat similar to Pettitte in my opinion, with what looks to be better durability (higher season workloads). At this point, it would appear that Buerhle's carreer trajectory will put him closer to the Hall than Pettitte.

Andy is young enough that, if he can stay healthy, he has a shot at winning in the high 200s. That would be his best argument, other than say three or four more years like last one.

[julusnc]

If Jack Morris will never get a foot in the door at Cooperstown then Andy Pettitte has no shot at all.

[holyroman]

Pettitte recently said he would consider retirement after this season if he struggles with injuries again. If his career ended right now, would you vote him in?

i 'd like to see this quote if anyone can find it. I think he was misquoted personally. I think he was talking about roger and was mis-construed, unless i'm thinking about a different quote from him, thanks

[jpenrod]

He does own the modern record for post season wins at least. Or at least he did, I think Smoltz might have passed him up. Other than that, I'm going have to say no until he has another few good seasons.

Last I saw, Smoltz had passed him, I think. He's not an HOF'er in my book without pitching 5-10 more years and getting to 250 wins.

Let's get the facts straight, Pettitte tied John Smoltz for most post-season wins last year in game one of the NLDS, Smoltz then reclaimed sole possession of the "record" less than 24 hours later in Game 2 of the NLDS. At no other time did Pettite ever lead Smoltz.

All of that being said, I do not see Pettitte as a HOFer if he were to retire today.

[DoubleX]

Well, first I look at what he did against his competition. He is a far cry from the Big Four of out time (Clemens/Maddux/Johnson/Martinez), but I could see him somewere in the next set, with Brown/Schilling/etc...

He has always been injury prone, and never was really dominating, only posting a 150+ ERA+ twice, and only once has had a legitimate great year (last year with his 2.39 ERA - 174 ERA+ - 1.030 WHIP). Sure he has good wins/seasons, but that has as much to do that he has spent most of his career (all but the last 2) with the ever dominating Yankee's, and he hasn't even lasted long enough to reach 175, let alone 200. Also, because he played for the Yankee's, he had his fair share of World Series appearances, and while he did have some good moments (0.00 ERA in '98 World Series - 7 2/3 innnings), he had some not so good (5.91 in '96 and 12.27 in '99).

To be fair to Andy, you have to look at that '96 Series in two parts. He was the Game 1 starter and he got shelled and was taken out in the first inning. I think nerves got the best of him. Here he was, at 24, in his first full-season as a Yankee, and pitching Game 1 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium, pitching against the defending champions, against the eventual NL Cy Young Winner that year (Smoltz) and a team that had been to four of the last five World Series. Plus, given the Yankees WS drought at the time, being back in the World Series was a huge deal in New York, and I think that hype got the best of him.

However, in Game 5, Andy pitched a gem (as did John Smoltz for the Braves who gave up just 1 unearned run in 8 IP). With the Series tied 2-2 in Atlanta, Andy pitched 8.1 IP and gave up just 5 hits and no runs. Wetteland came in for the last two outs and the Yankees won 1-0. I remember watching that game and in the top of the 9th, Torre actually sent Andy out to bat. You would think with two of the best relievers in the game (Wetteland and Rivera), the game being so close, and Andy being so young and inexperienced in these type of situations, you pitch hit for him, but he came out to hit and start the 9th. Pretty amazing and not the kind of thing you see that often anymore in late and close games, especially on the World Series stage and with such a young pitcher.

Andy was the team's ace that year, especially since Cone was sidelined most of the year. Pretty impressive, considering it was only Andy's second season and his first full season in the rotation. He should have won the Cy Young that year.

Not that this makes him a Hall of Famer, just pointing out that the '96 World Series should certainly not be held against Andy.

[chrismarullo]

i 'd like to see this quote if anyone can find it. I think he was misquoted personally. I think he was talking about roger and was mis-construed, unless i'm thinking about a different quote from him, thanks

I work in the Houston media. He said he would consider retirement if he continued to have arm problems. I'll look for an audio clip.

[Fuzzy Bear]

I doubt Pettitte would be a HOFer if he retired today, especially in light of recent events.

Pettitte, however, is pitching well. He MAY bring his career record close to 300 wins, depending how long he's able to hang in there. Despite his age, and despite the negative publicity for PEDs, he's not dead in the water for the HOF.

If Pettitte were to win 260 games and keep his winning percentage near what it is now, he'd have an excellent shot at the HOF. We'll see what we'll see, I guess, but Pettitte, surprisingly, is on a HOF path, although the path is going to get rougher, and he may not be able to hang. But if he were to average, say 15-6, 15-7 over the next 4 years, he'd become a serious candidate for the HOF.

[ChrisLDuncan]

Hall of very good. He's was a good pitcher, at times a very good pitcher, but not a Hall of Famer.